advice to writers

On Saturday, The Guardian published 10 rules for writers (part 1, part 2) featuring advice from the likes of Elmore Leonard, Jonathan Franzen, Margaret Atwood and Zadie Smith, among others. Some lovely bits and pieces.

Roddy Doyle:
Do keep a thesaurus, but in the shed at the back of the garden or behind the fridge, somewhere that demands travel or effort. Chances are the words that come into your head will do fine, eg 'horse', 'ran', 'said'.

Geoff Dyer:
Have more than one idea on the go at any one time. If it's a choice between writing a book and doing nothing I will always choose the latter. It's only if I have an idea for two books that I choose one rather than the other. I ­always have to feel that I'm bunking off from something.

Richard Ford:
Marry somebody you love and who thinks you being a writer's a good idea.

Neil Gaiman:
Remember: when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.

and my favourite...

Will Self:
Regard yourself as a small corporation of one. Take yourself off on team-building exercises (long walks). Hold a Christmas party every year at which you stand in the corner of your writing room, shouting very loudly to yourself while drinking a bottle of white wine. Then masturbate under the desk. The following day you will feel a deep and cohering sense of embarrassment.

The Globe & Mail had a response that focused on the flourishing advice industry.

Also read and loved "That Crafty Feeling" by Zadie Smith in her latest collection of essays, Changing My Mind. Good stuff.